MANHATTAN, Kan. — Iowa State suddenly found an offense. Sometime between entering the halftime locker room and leaving it, someone figured something out and just like that, the Cyclones were a different offensive team against Kansas State on Saturday at Bill Snyder Family Stadium.

The only problem was that a defense that was so good in the first half wasn’t as solid in the end, and thus Iowa State’s regular season ended with a 20-19 loss to the Wildcats.

Kansas State scored the game-winning touchdown with a scrambling quarterback throw to an open receiver in the back of the end zone. The play was called a touchdown on the field. It was reviewed. The call was confirmed.

Game. Set. Match.

Until the end, Iowa State fought to win at a place it seemingly never wins at.

Posted!

A link has been posted to your Facebook feed.

Iowa State Cyclones wide receiver Matthew Eaton (23) makes a catch during third-quarter action against the Kansas State Wildcats at Bill Snyder Family Stadium. The Wildcats won the game 20-19.
Scott Sewell/USA TODAY Sports

Kansas State Wildcats wide receiver Isaiah Zuber (7) is tackled by Iowa State Cyclones safety Reggie Wilkerson (3) during the third quarter of a game at Bill Snyder Family Stadium. The Wildcats won the game 20-19.
Scott Sewell/USA TODAY Sports

Iowa State Cyclones wide receiver Allen Lazard (5) tries to get away from Kansas State Wildcats defensive backs Elijah Walker (7) and Denzel Goolsby (20) in the first half at Bill Snyder Family Stadium. The Wildcats won the game 20-19.
Scott Sewell/USA TODAY Sports

Kansas State Wildcats head coach Bill Snyder shakes hands with Iowa State Cyclones head coach Matt Campbell at midfield following the Wildcats' last-minute touchdown win at Bill Snyder Family Stadium. The Wildcats won the game 20-19.
Scott Sewell/USA TODAY Sports

Kansas State Wildcats wide receiver Dominique Heath (4) is tackled short of the end zone by Iowa State Cyclones defensive back Reggie Wilkerson (3) in the second half at Bill Snyder Family Stadium. The Wildcats won the game 20-19.
Scott Sewell/USA TODAY Sports

Iowa State Cyclones wide receiver Hakeem Butler (18) makes a touchdown catch against Kansas State Wildcats defensive back Cre Moore (23) in the second half at Bill Snyder Family Stadium. The Wildcats won the game 20-19.
Scott Sewell/USA TODAY Sports

Iowa State Cyclones wide receiver Trever Ryen (19) tries to get away from Kansas State Wildcats defensive back Cre Moore (23) during a game at Bill Snyder Family Stadium. The Wildcats won the game 20-19.
Scott Sewell/USA TODAY Sports

Iowa State wide receiver Trever Ryen (19) dodges a tackle by Kansas State defensive back Cre Moore (23) during the first half of an NCAA college football game in Manhattan, Kan., Saturday, Nov. 25, 2017.
Orlin Wagner/AP

Iowa State running back Sheldon Croney Jr. (25) is tackled by Kansas State linebacker Trent Tanking (58) during the first half of an NCAA college football game in Manhattan, Kan., Saturday, Nov. 25, 2017.
Orlin Wagner/AP

Iowa State Cyclones running back David Montgomery (32) is tackled by Kansas State Wildcats defensive back Cre Moore (23) during first-quarter action at Bill Snyder Family Stadium.
Scott Sewell/USA TODAY Sports

But in the end, it was a defensive breakdown and a questionable pass interference call against Kansas State — a flag that was picked up by a ref.

Between now and their first bowl appearance since the 2012 Liberty Bowl, running back David Montgomery finally will be healthy. He called it a day after rushing just four times for 14 yards in the first quarter of a half Iowa State trailed 7-6.

By then, Kempt will be even better than he was in Saturday’s second half. By then, his throwing shoulder will be comfortably healed, too.

Maybe by bowl time, the offensive line will be four quarters good again, too. A week after Campbell applauded his trench guys by saying they’d played their best game all season, Saturday’s first half against the Wildcats left a lot to be desired.

They were called for a false start and two holdings during the game’s first possession. Kempt was sacked twice in the opening 30 minutes — and Cyclone quarterbacks hadn’t been sacked multiple times in a game since going down twice against TCU on Oct. 28.

First-and-goal at the one-yard line in the second quarter?

A muffed snap and incomplete pass to Allen Lazard in the end zone. Enter Joel Lanning — whose handoff to Sheldon Croney resulted in just a yard. A Kempt incompletion to Lazard was next, and Garrett Owens’ fourth-down field goal followed.

Now it's onto the bowl game.

Iowa State columnist Randy Peterson has been with the Register for parts of five decades. Randy writes opinion and analysis of Iowa State football and basketball. You can reach Randy at rpeterson@dmreg.com or on Twitter at @RandyPete.